


Where Have You Been, Love of Mine?

by wylielx



Category: Hit the Floor (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Childhood Friends, Coming Out, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Angst, Foster Care, Friendship/Love, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-01-17 04:38:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12357645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wylielx/pseuds/wylielx
Summary: Gideon doesn't believe he deserves nice things. It's a given, a truth, like how the sky is blue and how Jude's eyes are an emerald green with specs of gold.But maybe-maybe Jude can prove him wrong.Or, a childhood AU, though it may be a teen, pre-teen AU?





	1. Leaves of Change

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> So this is my first time writing for this fandom though I've wanted to do so for a while now. And because I've sort of been in a major rut with my other fics in my other fav fandom, I decided to write this when I saw the lil prompt. 
> 
> I know this isn't exactly what you asked for but this is what I pictured when I saw the ficlet idea. You said childhood, but I sort of made them a little older. You said one-shot and I ended up with a three-part fic. You didn't exactly give major specifics but this is what I got?  
> Hope this is something you enjoy reading?

He didn’t want to be here. He’d been moved, yet again. Only this time, they separated him from Laura. Laura had gone to a family different from his and they’d both kicked and screamed but ultimately, they took his little sister away from him and said that there wasn’t anything that could be done. 

So, here he was, in some car on his way to some house in some place he’d never been in. None of this was new territory for him. Not at all. He was fifteen years old and had moved to more places in the last year than any other person older than him had in their entire lives. Only this time, he didn’t have little Laura holding his hand in the car next to him. This time around, he had her raggedy, pink, stuffed puppy clutched in his hand.

 

_“It’s okay, Gideon. Puppers will take care of you. He’ll keep you safe. It's okay.”_

 

They’d finally made it to the front of a nice-looking house, a short woman in pink slippers and a fluffy robe with curly brown hair was stood out front, a warm smile on her face. She had a mug balanced in her hands, filled with what he assumed was coffee this early in the morning. The car came to a full stop and Gideon slowly got out of the car, his ripped up backpack in one hand, Puppers in the other. His social worker came behind him and ushered him forward, her hand nudging his shoulder. He took in his surroundings, a bike thrown down on the yard, a dog bowl on the porch next to the door and _oh._ Right behind the woman, behind the glass door was a boy. A boy with pretty green eyes and floppy, brown hair. He stood with half his body hidden behind the wall next to the door with a small mutt sitting at his feet. Gideon looked down at the pup, the pup turning his head sideways, eyeing him cautiously. When he turned back to the green-eyed boy, the boy looked down, a smile on his lips and Gideon felt his heart flutter. He was readjusting the hold on his backpack when he remembered. Damn _Puppers._

And yeah—he looked up at the boy and the boy was definitely smiling at the sight of _Puppers._ He felt a blush creep on his cheeks when he finally tuned back into the conversation his social worker was having with the nice-looking lady in the pink slippers. 

 

“I think he’ll be fine. He’ll have Jude keeping him company. Jude, honey, come say hello to Gideon.”

 

_Jude._

 

The green-eyed boy came out of his hiding place, pushing the glass door open so he could step out onto the porch next to his mother, the mutt trailing right behind him. 

 

“I’m Jude.” The boy eyed Puppers.

“I like your pink puppy.”

 

Gideon’s blush tainted his cheeks a darker shade, his entire face heating up against the fall's cold. Gideon was ready to snap, tell him to fuck off, risk getting thrown out before actually stepping in, but when he looked at Jude, there was a beautiful, honest smile on his face. Not a smirk, not a trace of sarcasm, and Gideon felt his heart pound faster in his chest. 

 

“Thanks.” He mumbled, looking away from the boy as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. 

 

The lady in the pink slippers eyed him, a look that Gideon couldn’t describe. Her smile was almost exactly like Jude’s.

“Why don’t you boys go inside? Jude, show Gideon to his room, I’ll be in in a second. I’m Jennifer by the way, sorry I didn’t introduce myself sooner. Oh, and don’t worry about little Uke over there, he doesn’t bite. Jude can show you around the house too, so you can get situated.”

 

Gideon gave her a small smile before looking at Sara, his social worker, for guidance. Sara smiled at him, encouraging him to do as Jennifer said. Jude opened the glass door and held it open wide enough for Gideon to step in. He readjusted his hold on his backpack and tightened his other hand around Puppers before finally going up the porch steps into the house, trailing behind Jude, much like the mutt, _Uke._

 

“Come on, I’ll show you your room, it’s right in front of mine.”

Jude started up the stairs, Uke leaping up behind him and leaving Gideon with a goofy smile on his face at the sight. He made it up the stairs and let the green-eyed boy lead him into what was meant to be his room. There wasn’t much to it, everything was clean, a dresser with a mirror by the windowsill, a full-sized bed in the center against the wall, a flat screen hung up, and a nightstand with a clock and lamp sitting on its surface. It was nothing like the previous foster homes Gideon’s been in. He and Laura were usually squeezed into a group home with other kids or had to share a small, creaky bed in a dark, dirty place. His heart clenched at the thought of Laura being stuck in a place like that by herself. 

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a couple of paws clawing at his leg. He heard a chuckle escape from Jude.

 

“He likes you.” Jude smiled at him. That smile that lit up his eyes and softened all other features on his face. That smile that had Gideon’s heart pounding faster and faster. Gideon set his bag down, putting the pink puppy on top and sat down on the hardwood floor, letting Uke climb into his lap. Jude sat down next to him and kept eyeing Gideon, studying him in a way that made Gideon squirm a little.

“What’s your puppy’s name?” 

Gideon kept combing his hands through Uke’s fur, a small smile playing on his lips.

“Puppers. His name is Puppers.”

Jude’s smile widened, emphasizing the dimples in his cheeks and _oh_ —that was quite a sight. 

“What? You’re not gonna ask me why the hell I have a pink, stuffed puppy that happens to be a boy named Puppers?” He smirked at Jude, hoping his voice didn’t waver as he said it.

The other boy only shrugged, still smiling,

“It doesn’t matter if you have a pink, stuffed puppy named Puppers who happens to be a boy. Boys can like the color pink just like girls can like the color blue. You shouldn’t be so close-minded.”

 

This left Gideon stunned. He coughed nervously, trying to cover his discomfort.

“No—of course I know that. I just—the dog, it’s my sister’s. She gave him to me before we were um—you know before I came here.”

 

Jude looked at him with sympathy and Gideon _hated_ it more than anything. He didn’t need anyone feeling sorry for him. Especially not Jude.

Jude was reaching over, touching his hand, about to say something not short of _I’m sorry_ or _t_ _hat must be hard to go through._ He grabbed Uke and plopped him down in Jude’s lap before standing up.

“Don’t. I don’t need you feeling sorry for me. I didn’t tell you that so you could feel sorry for me.” His voice was sharp and unwavering.

The green-eyed boy looked up at him, confusion taking over his features.

“Gideon, I don’t feel sorry for you. I mean, I don’t know what you’ve been through and I couldn’t imagine it either. I don’t think I’d be strong enough to be without a sister. It must be difficult being separated from her.”

“You don’t know anything. Just—don’t talk about her like you know her because you don’t. You don’t know her and you don’t know me. Stop acting like you do.” 

Jude stood up, confusion and hurt etched in his features. 

He reached for Gideon in an attempt to touch his arm,

“Gideon, I didn’t me—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Gideon pushed him back, prompting Jude to stumble backward and fall back against the hardwood floor with a loud thud. Uke began barking and Jude’s beautiful emerald eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Gideon immediately regretted it. Before he could reach for Jude and apologize relentlessly, the other boy stood up and bolted to his room, shutting the door behind him. Uke was left to scratch and whimper outside of Jude’s door, Gideon stood frozen, regretting everything he’d just done. He probably just managed to get himself kicked out of the first foster home that was actually good. A foster home with a nice lady in pink slippers and a home with _Jude._

After a couple of minutes passed, Jude opened the door slightly, allowing enough space for Uke to scrabble in his room before shutting the door again. Gideon was pretty sure he could hear sniffles coming from the boy’s room. 

 

_What the fuck did I just do?_

 

From downstairs, he could hear the front door closing and heard footsteps ascending the staircase. He was ready to grab his bag and pink, stuffed puppy. He was ready to say goodbye and move on to the next house. He was ready to most likely be yelled at for making Jennifer’s son cry and ready to be thrown out because he was nothing compared to Jude. 

Jennifer stopped in the hall between both Gideon and Jude’s doors, a frown on her lips as she looked at Gideon.

“Did Jude just shut himself in his room? I thought I told him to show you around? You’ll have to forgive him, he’s always been a bit shy.”

Before Gideon could tell her that he’d made her son cry, Jude opened his door.

“Are you coming, Gideon? I found Uke’s ball. I can go show you the basketball hoop I was telling you about. Ma, we’re just gonna go out back until breakfast.”

Jennifer eyed Jude curiously, a smile still on her face. Jude avoided Gideon’s wide eyes and his mother’s gaze as he planted a kiss on his mother’s cheek and coughed nervously.

“Come on, Gideon.”

Gideon shook his head, not really aware of what was happening right now, but followed Jude either way. Jude pulled on a hoodie that was laying on the back of a kitchen chair, grabbing another one that was on a hook by the back door and held it out for Gideon to take. 

“Put it on. It’s cold out.”

Gideon grabbed it hesitantly and pulled it over his head as Jude opened the back door. Once they were outside, the air between them was thick, filled with tension and Gideon hated the fact that not even ten minutes ago, Jude was sporting a smile instead of a sad frown. Jude took a seat on the back porch steps and Gideon took the seat next to him, both watching as Uke began to run around amidst the brown, crunching leaves, barking happily as he leaped through piles of them. 

“Jude—”

Jude shook his head, not letting Gideon finish. There was silence between them for a few slow-passing seconds before Jude finally spoke up. He coughed slightly and kept his eyes trained on Uke.

“My name’s Jude Kinkade and the woman in there is my mother, Jennifer Brooks. I would prefer her last name over my father’s any day because he was a lying, cheating, hurtful bastard who didn’t give a damn about anyone but himself. He died a couple of years back, alcohol poisoning. People would say they were sorry but I wasn’t. I know it’s probably a horrible thing to say but it’s just how I felt, how I feel. I’m fourteen years old and my mother bought me a pup because I don’t have many friends. I’d rather read a book than go out and I may ask too many questions during class which pisses people off. I’ve never kissed a girl, not because I'm not able to but because I don’t want to. It’s complicated and I don’t entirely get it but I’m getting there. And I hope that me being different doesn’t bother you but if it does, then there really isn’t anything I can do about that. But, I’ll have you know that I’m not afraid of you or anyone else, and I’ll throw a punch if I need to, though I’d rather not.”

 

Gideon found himself holding his breath throughout Jude’s impromptu speech. He felt himself breath again when Jude turned to him, his eyes slightly red-rimmed from earlier. Jude cautiously reached his hand out, maybe afraid that Gideon would push him away again and it made Gideon’s heart clench in his chest. He scooted closer to Jude, intertwining his own fingers with his. 

“Jude, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you, I shouldn’t have snapped. It’s hard, all of this, especially without Laura—”

Jude shook his head, squeezing Gideon’s hand,

“You don’t have to tell me anything. You can tell me in your own time.”

And Gideon would have told him everything. He wanted to tell Jude everything. Every memory, every secret, every single thought because with Jude, he felt safe. Just being close to Jude gave him a feeling in the pit of his stomach, in the back of his mind, in the center of his chest. He was a second away from laying out his entire life to Jude when Jennifer tapped the kitchen window, announcing that breakfast was ready. Gideon had never released his hold on anything as quick as he just released Jude’s hand. He saw Jude’s face fall before plastering on a sad smile and telling Gideon to come in and have breakfast.

 

He was sat at the kitchen table while Jennifer brought over pancakes and bacon, setting them down on the table. Jude was busying himself with grabbing plates and glasses. When they were all seated, Jennifer handed Gideon a plate and encouraged him to eat as much as he wanted. Jennifer smirked as she caught Jude feeding Uke pieces of bacon under the table. 

“Gideon, I hope you’ve settled in all right. I asked Sara about your education and she told me that you haven’t been going to school.” 

Gideon felt himself still. Jennifer must have noticed because she shook her head, much like Jude does when he knows what he’s thinking.

“I’m not scolding you, Gideon. I’m pretty sure I know why you weren’t attending and that’s okay. But you’re older and I think it’d be good for you to finally have a steady form of education. You’d be going to school with Jude, and since you’re a year older, you’ll be in a grade above him. I’ve already sent in the paperwork and you should be registered by the time Thanksgiving break is over. But until then, this time off could be used as time for you to adjust and familiarize yourself with us. I know that you just got here and this may be a bit much, but Thanksgiving is in a couple of days and we’ll be having some family and friends over for that and I’d like for you to be a part of that. I hope you don’t mind, but I also took the liberty of asking Sara to keep me updated on your sister.”

Gideon was floored. All of this was overwhelming and was so much more effort than anyone else had put into anything Gideon-related. He hadn't done anything to deserve kindness or affection, especially from a couple of people he had just met He didn’t know what to say, to say the least.

“You don’t have to say anything, honey. I don’t expect anything from you in return. Now, finish up your breakfast. I have to get ready for work, it’s still quite early, so you can go lay down after you finish or you could watch tv, whatever you’re comfortable doing.”

Jennifer finished her cup of coffee and excused herself, leaving him and Jude sat at the table. Uke nudged his socked foot with his nose under the table and took it as his cue to feed the mutt a scrap of bacon. 

“We can watch a movie in my room if you want? Or I mean—I don’t know, maybe you want to lay down, like in your bed. I just—we can.” 

Gideon felt his heart melt with Jude’s nervous rant. Everything Jude did had an effect on him and he was still working out how to feel about that. 

“I could watch a movie.” He said. Jude immediately smiled and started clearing the table and washing the dishes. He got up to help wipe down the table and dry the plates Jude had just scrubbed and rinsed. Once they were done, Jennifer came back downstairs, nurse’s uniform under a cozy hoodie he was zipping up. 

“Alright boys, I’ll be back later. I’ll call and see what I should pick up for dinner.” She kissed Jude’s cheek, scratched Uke’s head and ruffled Gideon’s hair before grabbing her keys and heading out the door. Her scent still lingered and a deafening silence was left behind as she shut the door. Luckily, it didn’t last long as Jude cleared his throat and started up the stairs, with Uke and Gideon trailing after him, much like the first time. 

Jude’s room was different from his own, something he should have expected. Jude’s room was still painted white but his walls were covered in posters and drawings and lights and stars. It was quite remarkable if you asked Gideon. He had a full-sized bed and a flat screen attached to the wall like in Gideon’s bedroom. 

Jude had Gideon pick out the movie, which was a very tight decision between The Fast and The Furious and Timothy Green. He picked Timothy Green because it seemed like something Jude would like. It was awkward at first. Gideon didn’t know whether he should sit on the floor or at the desk with the rolly chair or _where._

Jude patted the spot next to him on the bed, giving him a shy smile as Uke cuddled closer into Jude’s side. They didn’t talk much, they laughed when Timothy would say something baffling and stayed quiet when one of Timothy’s leaves fell away. Before either of them knew it, they had somehow managed to inch closer to one another, ending up in the center of the bed. When the credits began to role and Gideon _subtly_ wiped away a single tear he felt was creeping its way out of his eye, he turned to Jude only to find the boy sleeping with his head on Gideon’s shoulder. All his facial features were neutral, a small crease forming between the boy’s eyebrows and Gideon found himself reaching down and smoothing it out with his thumb. Jude’s hair looked especially soft so he decided to run his hand through it too. 

This feeling, it was foreign. It was something new that had him second-guessing everything else he’d done in his short life. He thought about Laura and about how she was the most important thing to him. He thought about how he felt every time he dreamed of a future where he would take care of her. Then he thought about Jennifer and about how she was already making a place for herself in Gideon’s life and how he didn’t seem to find it at all. 

Then there was Jude. He thought about how Jude sleeping on his shoulder right now made him feel like he could do anything. Right now, being with Jude was a feeling he couldn’t really describe with words. 

Jude breathing softly on his shoulder and Uke sleeping at his feet, he felt he could get used to this feeling.


	2. A Very Nice Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sort of continuation of the previous chapter. 
> 
> Some angst because I don't usually write angst because I hate it with a passion but I kind of love reading it because that makes a fic a fic? But also fluff because omg.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I know that most people are upset with HTF not bringing Adam Senn back and I'm like, 'same.'  
> I also know that there aren't many people reading this tag because it's been dead for quite some time but these characters and this pairing feeds my soul tbh.  
> Thank you to everyone who commented on the previous chapter! I kind of want to keep this pairing alive, even if it is through fiction because they're pretty great together. 
> 
> Also, I kind of changed their age because of reasons. Gideon is fifteen and Jude is fourteen, almost fifteen. Jude is still an innocent angel that needs looking after but is also exploring and self-discovering because he's always been that way to me lol.

Gideon spent most nights in Jude’s bed. It wasn’t something either of them agreed upon or had planned out. It just _happened._ From his very first night in his new foster home, Gideon had made a place for himself in Jude’s bed. He kept telling himself that it was because he missed Laura’s warmth. The way she would always burrow herself into him, as if she was trying to get under his skin to hide away from the world. He kept telling himself that it had nothing to do with the fact that Jude looked far too innocent in his state of sleep. It had absolutely _nothing_ to do with the fact that Jude always scooted closer to him when he thought Gideon was already asleep. And every morning when he’d wake up with Jude wrapped around him, he just knew.

 

_I’m so full of shit._

 

The days leading up to Thanksgiving were agonizing, to say the least. Gideon was dreading the damn holiday. He didn’t _hate_ Thanksgiving—he just didn’t get why it was so damn important. Jude was ecstatic and everything Jude felt, damn Uke felt so it was like having two overjoyed puppies leaping about the house. It was endearing, but mostly, it was so fucking frustrating.

They were in Jude’s room, the green-eyed boy rambling on about last Thanksgiving when Gideon had finally had enough.

“Do you ever shut up?! I don’t care about what _Uncle Johnny_ did last year or about who fucking won some stupid, made-up game. I don’t care.”

And well, if what he wanted was to shut Jude up, that’s exactly what he did. Actually, he accomplished far more than that. Jude’s face went red with embarrassment and his jaw tensed as his lips were sealed in a tight line and Gideon couldn’t have hated himself more. Before he knew it, Jude was mumbling something about having to take Uke out for a walk and was gone before Gideon could do anything to stop him. 

He didn’t go to Jude’s room that night. He didn’t climb into Jude’s bed with Uke shuffling around to find a comfortable spot on the bed. Jude didn’t really talk about Thanksgiving anymore. The boy didn’t actually talk _at all._ He’d talk to his mother, answer when she asked him a question during dinner then skidded off to his room. With Jennifer working almost all day, leaving the boys to themselves, Gideon felt Jude’s distance. There were times throughout the day where Uke would just sit and stare at him. He’d convinced himself that the damn mutt was glaring at him, hating him for making a certain pretty, green-eyed boy sad. 

Before he knew it, Thanksgiving Day was finally here and Jude still wasn’t talking to him. He figured it’s the least he deserved. Jennifer had woken them up early to get a head start on the day’s festivities and Jude smiled at her, but Gideon could see how the smile wouldn’t reach his eyes. 

Jennifer was on the phone while Jude and Gideon were in the kitchen eating bowls of cereal, fucking Uke glaring a hole through Gideon’s face. Gideon had had enough. He dropped his spoon in his bowl with a loud clank, Jude finally looking at him with wide eyes. 

He took a deep breath,

“Jude—”

“Alright Gideon, ready for your very first Kinkade-Brooks Thanksgiving?” Her smile was so wide, Gideon was afraid her face would split in half, excitement taking over her entire body. He smiled fondly, nodding his head. She turned back to Jude, 

“So, Catherine and _Jake_ are coming over.” She said a bit _suggestively._

Gideon witnessed as Jude’s face turned a slight shade of pink. 

He groaned,

“Mom, _don’t.”_

Jennifer held her hands up in surrender,

“What? I’m just saying. He’s a very nice boy.”

_Oh._ Apparently Jude had talked to his mother about his disinterest in kissing _girls_. That’s what this was. Jude’s mom trying to set up her son with a _very nice boy._ He rolled his eyes. _Jake._ Douchy kind of name if you asked him. The thing is, Gideon likes _girls._ He likes pink lips and long, blonde hair. He likes looking at their soft curves and delicate features. He’s kissed a girl or two a few times and he’s _liked_ it. Then there’s _Jude._ The moment he set his eyes on Jude, he questioned everything he thought he knew. Though Jude was soft and lanky, he also had broad shoulders and his jawline was beginning to become more prominent. He had strong hands and a small waist. 

Maybe Gideon liked gorgeous girls with long, blonde hair and soft curves but maybe he also liked pretty boys with green-eyes and short, brown hair. _No._ He liked _Jude._

 

_Damn Jude._

 

Gideon was helping Jennifer carry pots and pans, organizing the kitchen so she could get started on the Thanksgiving feast when there was a knock at the door. She beamed,

“Jude, why don’t you go open the door?”

Jude sighed, getting up from his chair at the kitchen table and went to open the door. Gideon halted all his movements, a scowl already on his face, aimed at whoever was behind the door. The door opened and that’s when Gideon saw the _very nice boy._ A tall, lean boy with honey-blonde hair styled into a careless _James Dean_ quiff was practically glowing as he greeted Jude, pulling ~~his~~ the green-eyed boy into a _very_ affectionate hug. His jaw tightened when Jude hugged back, nearly standing on his tippy-toes, the fucking _douche_ wrapping his ~~~~arms above Jude’s waist. He was too busy fuming to notice a woman, Catherine, coming into the kitchen and greeting him. He heard Jennifer introduce him as Gideon and saying that he was a bit quiet.

When Jude finally pulled away from _Jake,_ there was a smile on his face. An _actual_ smile. The one that made his eyes light up and had his entire being glowing. They walked into the kitchen after exchanging few words, words that Gideon couldn’t make out, no matter how hard he strained his ears. Jake was a little bit too close to Jude for Gideon’s liking. 

Jake stepped forward, a smile on his lips,

“Hey, you must be Gideon. Nice to meet you, man.”

He resisted the urge to role his eyes at the guy. He simply gave him an upturn of lips and returned to picking up pots to set on the table. Jennifer pulled Jake into a hug saying that it had been a while since he’d come over. He tuned out of the conversation, opting to look at Jude.

Jude was simply watching his mother and Jake in fondness. A smile on his lips and Uke, the _fucking traitor_ began clawing at Jake, wanting his attention. 

“Uke might want to go out for a walk, Jude. Maybe you and _Jake_ could take him out back.” Jennifer suggested. As much as Gideon liked her, right now, he didn’t really appreciate her. Jude nodded and patted his thigh, calling Uke’s name. Uke was out the back door with Jude and _Jake_ trailing behind the mutt. Gideon inched closer to the back door, looking out the window. He saw Jake inch closer to Jude as they stood on the porch. The taller boy brushed a dangling curl from Jude’s face and Jude’s face blushed beautifully. And nope—Gideon wasn’t gonna let it happen. Because he knew what came next. 

He dropped the pan he had in his hands with a loud clash, both Jennifer and Catherine screeching, prompting Uke into a barking fit and managing to put some distance between Jude and Jake as Jude jumped back. 

A satisfied smirk made its way to Gideon’s face at the expression on Jake’s face. The boy wasn’t stupid, Gideon would give him that much. He glared at Gideon through the window as Gideon laughed it off, apologizing for being so clumsy. 

 

More people started arriving as the day went on. Gideon was more than ready to feel out of place, ready to stumble off to his room until the day was over. What he _didn’t_ expect was everyone greeting him warmly. Aunts and uncles and cousins coming up to him, introducing themselves and pulling him into a hug, patting him on the back, asking him how his first Brooks Thanksgiving was going. He met Uncle Johnny. Uncle Johnny who had _Alzheimer’s_. 

Yeah—Gideon was a _fucking dick_. 

Uncle Johnny was the one who made-up the annual Thanksgiving game. The game could easily be passed off as a game of charades with a certain consequence for the person who couldn’t get anyone to guess what they were imitating. Gideon liked him. The older man had a bright smile and called Gideon _son._ Anyone could tell that Jude was Uncle Johnny’s favorite. The man smiled widely when he saw Jude. He pulled the boy into a big bear hug asking how his grandkid was doing. That’s when Gideon gathered that Uncle Johnny was actually Jude’s grandfather. Uncle Johnny was just a universal name that everyone called the man. Jude’s eyes sparkled when the man asked where the little pup was. 

The family was beginning to set up the table for dinner. Glass containers filled with mashed potatoes and stuffing, Jennifer taking the ham out of the oven. Everything was a little overwhelming. Gideon had never had _this_. There was never any kind of family dinner with everyone getting along with little to no arguments about small things like who got to sit next to who. Everything circled back to Laura. Jennifer updated him about her that entire week. Laura was placed with a family too. A family who had already adopted the last child they’d fostered. As happy as he was for Laura, something in his chest felt unsettling because— _what if they did want to adopt Laura? Would he ever see her again? Would she maybe forget about her crappy childhood, Gideon included?_ All too suddenly, it felt hard to breathe. He was surrounded by smiling, laughing, loving people and he felt so out of place. This wasn’t his to keep. It wasn’t meant for him, none of it was. He hurried upstairs while everyone was distracted and shut himself in his room, away from everything—from everyone. 

He crouched down next to his bed, clutching Puppers in his arms like a lifeline. He hoped Laura was happy. Maybe she would finally have the family she deserved. She’d finally have something stable, something safe, something _real._

He could faintly hear the voices downstairs filled with joy. The front door opening and closing, indicating that more family was arriving. He tried draining out all sounds, all noises. He clutched Puppers even harder, not wanting to cry. He wasn’t going to cry. He _wasn’t_. 

He heard a soft knock on his door.

“Gideon?” 

_Jude_. 

God, now he wished Jude would just go back to Jake. He wanted him to go away. He didn’t want to be seen like this, an absolute mess. 

“Gideon, I—um, there’s someone I really want you to see.” 

His voice was soft but it did nothing to thaw Gideon’s heart at the moment. He was an instant away from telling Jude to fuck off with Jake and leav—

“ _Gideon?”_ His head snapped up so fast he got whiplash. He near sprinted to the door, opening it to find a smiling Jude and a glossy-eyed little sister that he’d dreamt and thought about every day since the last time he’d seen her. She flung herself into his arms, her little arms wrapping around his neck as he picked her up, inhaling her comforting scent, squeezing his eyes shut. She smelled like what Jude was beginning to smell like. Like _home._

He opened his eyes and Jude was still standing at the door, watching him and Laura, a smile on his lips.

“Jude—how?”

Jude shook his head, shifting his weight,

“My mom talked to your social worker. She went and talked to Laura’s foster family, asked them if she could spend Thanksgiving here, with you—with us. They were more than happy to let Laura see her big brother. They’re picking her up tomorrow, but—she’s here.”

Gideon would never be able to find the words to thank Jennifer for everything she’s done for him. Laura finally released her older brother from her death grip and petted Puppers.

“There’s a nice lady downstairs who told me to come get you. She said we were eating Thanksgiving dinner, Gideon… Thanksgiving dinner!” Gideon chuckled at his sister’s enthusiasm. He finally lowered her to the floor and she took a hold of his hand, pulling him towards the door, towards Jude. 

“Jude said he was my friend too, Gid.” She pulled Gideon’s hand, prompting him to crouch down to her level. She cupped her hand in between his ear and her mouth, whispering,

“He’s really pretty, Gideon.” He flushed at her antics. And well, he couldn’t really disagree. She pulled back and started down the stairs with Puppers in her arms ,saying that there was a nice old man who was offering her a piece of pumpkin pie when she’d arrived and Uke running right behind her.  _Uncle Johnny._

He stood next to Jude awkwardly, remembering that they weren’t exactly on speaking terms. The younger boy simply sighed and cleared his throat before telling Gideon that they better go downstairs before Uncle Johnny fed Laura to death. Gideon grabbed him by his wrist, pulling him back, effectively pulling the boy into a hug. Jude was unresponsive at first. He was stiff, his arms by his side while Gideon had his arms wrapped around him. He was about to pull back, thinking that maybe it had been a stupid idea when Jude finally wrapped his arms around Gideon’s neck, pulling him back in. The older boy sighed with relief and tightened his arms around Jude.

“Thank you, Jude. I know I’m not exactly easy to deal with and what I said the other day, oh God—what I said about Uncle Johnny, Jude—”

Jude shook his head, pulling back enough to cup Gideon’s face,

“I know, okay. It’s okay.”

Gideon shook his head, pulling away from Jude because, how could he just be so understanding? Why couldn’t he just be mad? 

“Jude, it’s not _okay_. I said things that I shouldn’t have and I hurt you and you can’t just be okay with that.”

The younger boy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion,

“Why not? Gideon, you were going through a tough time and I was just ranting on about _my_ family and you didn’t have yours with you. It’s understandable that you’d be irritated—angry even.”

The world didn’t deserve Jude’s goodness, his heart, that much he was sure of. 

Before he could say anything back, Laura came leaping up the stairs, all giggly and breathless.

“Uncle Johnny said it’s time to carve the ham. Come on, all the food is gonna be gone and you’re not gonna get none.” She grabbed both Jude and his hands and started tugging, ushering them downstairs. Jude sent him a small smile and they both followed Laura to the dining table, Laura sitting right next to Uncle Johnny, leaving Jude next to her and Gideon on his other side. 

Before dinner, they all joined hands and silently thanked whoever it is they were to thank for their meal. Gideon thanked Jennifer and all the aunts and cousins who brought a dish to put on the table. It just seemed fit. Uncle Johnny carved the ham and everyone dug in, serving spoons on food onto their plates. Gideon glanced across the table to find Jake looking back him, something similar to a scowl on his face. Gideon found himself smiling, realizing that Jude was sandwiched between himself and his little sister. Laura was chatting up Jude and Uncle Johnny, describing her new home and the nice people who lived in it. He saw Jennifer sitting at the opposite end of the table, a beaming smile on her face as she looked at Gideon, nodding, something unspoken and somehow he understood. 

Stories were shared, scraps were fed to Uke under the table by just about everyone and soon enough it was time for a variety of desserts and a game of charades with a twist. Laura was happy. She was smiling, having her first piece of pumpkin pie ever with tons of whipped cream (yes—thanks, Uncle Johnny). He soon noticed that Jude and Uncle Johnny were nowhere to be seen, so curiosity got the best of him. He got up and was about to head out back when he heard their voices coming from the porch in the backyard. 

“He’s a nice boy, son. You never know.”

_Of course._ Uncle Johnny had to root for fucking _Jake_ too. He was turning around and heading back—

“Pop, I just—what if Gideon doesn’t like me _that_ way. Even if he did, he lives here and I have a feeling that he’s staying.”

The older man hummed,

“So you don’t want him to stay?”

Jude sighed, semi-frustrated,

“No, I do. I want what’s best for him and being here seems to make his life _easier_? I mean, I don’t know how his life was before he got here, but I just—I don’t know. Wouldn’t it be hard for us to even be a thing if we lived together?”

Uncle Johnny sighed, sitting up straighter in the chair he was sat in,

“Then it’ll work out, son. He seems like a nice young man. He’d be _dull_ to not like you _that_ way.” He shouldered Jude lightly, earning a smile from the boy.

Gideon was soaring. His heart pumping in his chest so hard, he thought he’d burst. 

 

It was soon becoming late and goodbyes were beginning to make their way through the house. Hugs and kisses were given and Gideon and Laura were finding themselves involved as well. Jake hugged Jude goodbye and kissed Jennifer on the cheek. He waved at Gideon and Laura half-heartedly.

“I don’t like him, Gid.” Laura had said. He couldn’t have agreed more. Uncle Johnny was the last to leave, pulling both himself and Laura into a warm hug, promising he’d seen them in December for Christmas. He hugged Jude and whispered something to him that Gideon couldn’t make out. The conversation between them from earlier still heavy on Gideon’s mind. Gideon really loved Uncle Johnny. 

Jennifer wiped her hands on the dishtowel she had on the counter and sighed happily as all the leftovers were put away and all the dishes were clean with the help of the family before they’d left. She looked at the three kids standing in the living room,

“Well, I’d say that was a pretty successful Thanksgiving.” They all nodded contently. 

“Little Miss Laura, your foster parents aren’t picking you up until tomorrow so you get to spend the night, sweetie.” Laura beamed, looking up at Gideon, clutching his hand tightly as she adjusted her hold on Puppers in her other hand. 

“Jude, maybe you should show her A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. I’m sure she’d love it.” Jude nodded as he kissed his mother’s cheek, gesturing for Gideon to follow him upstairs. Jennifer nodded along, encouraging him to follow Jude. Laura and Uke were already in Jude’s room, making themselves a spot on his bed when Gideon had finally made it up to his room. 

He cleared his throat,

“Laura, we’re just watching the movie then we’re going to sleep in my room, okay?” She nodded, not really paying attention to what he’d just said. He rolled his eyes and sat on the bed next to Laura. They were already in comfortable clothes, Gideon wearing a simple tee and a pair of sweatpants, Laura wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of leggings. Jude pulled on a hoodie and turned off the overhead light, the only light source being the television and a small lamp next to his bed. Jude laid down next to Laura, Uke finding his spot right at Laura’s feet. Gideon remained sat on the right edge of the bed. 

Not long after Peppermint Patty invited herself and her pals to Charlie Brown’s house for a Thanksgiving turkey party did Gideon hear shallow breathing coming from the other side of the room. Laura had somehow managed to half-lay on Jude, Uke tucking himself even farther with them. He huffed a breath as he watched them all be taken by sleep. Jude’s eyes finally fluttered shut and they were all asleep now. 

Gideon let himself lay down on the bed after pulling a blanket over all of them. 

The next morning would be the second time he realized he could get used to the feeling swirling in his chest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you may see, I left the number of chapters this is gonna be blank because I honestly don't know how many chapters there are gonna be?  
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
> I've been writing nonstop but I've also started picking up my other fics too because my muse has returned!
> 
> Also, there are probs some mistakes because I'm posting this at four in the morning wtf? 
> 
> Comment because I live for feedback!


	3. Of First Love and Self-Preservation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gideon's first day at school becomes quite eventful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while.  
> Thanks to everyone who's supporting this fic and are still sticking by it. I forgot to mention that I disappear from time to time like that lol. My job and uni have been kicking my ass and I thought I had the schedule thing down, but I guess I don't?
> 
> I'm on break right now and have been trying to write while eating these thanksgiving leftovers omg. Happy belated thanksgiving though!
> 
> I'm not abandoning this fic and don't plan on doing so. I actually have a lot planned for this fic, just haven't found the time to write, bear with me. This is like barely the beginning and there's still quite a bit we have to get through omg. 
> 
> Also, I'm posting this at 4:29 AM, I know it has mistakes all throughout omg just bear with me.  
> Anyway.. hope you enjoy this chapter though!

All too soon, it was Monday morning and Gideon knew that it wasn’t just another plain Monday morning. Today was the Monday morning he’d be starting at a new school, something he hadn’t done in a while. He knew that he could very well run off, say he was going to school, skid off somewhere else but Jennifer stressed the importance of school and getting an education. She’d done more than enough for him and Laura, the least he could do was go to school. 

Everyone was already downstairs, Jude eating a bowl of cereal, Uke sat under his chair and Jennifer on the phone, consulting a doctor about a patient. He felt _strange._ During the weekend, Jennifer insisted on taking him shopping for clothes and school supplies. He kept telling her he already had clothes and would only maybe need a notebook but his protests fell on deaf as she’d already grabbed her car keys and was ushering him out the door. She bought him enough clothes to fill the closet in his room and enough notebooks and pencils for the rest of his life. He could remember looking at Jude, silently pleading him to make her stop. Jude simply shook his head, sporting a fond smile, and told him that there was no way to stop Hurricane Jennifer. 

He sat down at the table next to Jude, pouring cereal into a bowl that was already placed at  _his_ place at the table. He now had his own place at the table— yeah, that was a thing now. He smiled at Jude, Jude returning it full force, the dimples in his cheeks becoming more prominent and Gideon’s heart fluttered— just a little bit. 

_The morning after Thanksgiving, Gideon was awoken by a certain persistent pup whose bladder was ready to burst, if his urgency was anything to go by. It took a moment for his brain to coordinate with his body and when he felt a small foot kick his ribs, he remembered Laura was here. She was here— she was here with him in Jude’s room and he felt himself fill with a sense of happiness. He shifted his body so he was laying on his side and the sight of him was something that made his stomach spurt with butterflies. Laura was almost completely laid on top of Jude, Jude’s arm wrapped around her, almost cradling her. He could lay there, committing the image to memory if it weren’t for a set sharp nails clawing at his legs. Right—the damn mutt. He gets out of bed as quietly as he can, slips into a pair of shoes (they might be Jude’s, honestly, it's too early for this) and heads downstairs, Uke nearly tripping down the stairs from how eager he is to go outside. Once he’s by the door, he pulls on a hoodie (again, probably Jude’s—most definitely Jude’s hoodie) and opens the back door, Uke sprinting outside to find a spot to do what he’s gotta do. Before Gideon can hurry Uke along, Jennifer steps out, her fluffy robe and pink slippers in place and he smiles before he can stop himself._

_She sits down next to him as she puts a wrapped box in between herself and Gideon. She smiled at him and pushed the box closer to Gideon._

_He took the box and carefully unwrapped it, revealing a white, shiny box— a brand new phone. He’d never really had one—he may have borrowed a few without returning them but one of his own? Never._

_His eyes went wide as he looked up at Jennifer, starting to hand her the box back, a ‘thank you, but really, there’s no need for this, like at all’ already on the tip of his tongue._

_She gave him a stern look, her smile as present as always though._

_“Jude was about five years old when I became a nurse full-time. I had to find a way to support us after Jude’s father left and nursing was important to me. About a month into my job at the hospital, I met a little girl named Lisa. She was four years old with bruises all over her body. God, I’ll never forget what she looked like. Her body was so frail from malnourishment, she had these blue eyes that were so clouded, she just—she looked so numb. I read over her file and she’d been in and out of hospitals since she was one. Her mother died in childbirth and her father overdosed soon after. She’d been in the system her entire life. She was only four and she seemed decades older. It wasn’t easy to become a foster parent, but I figured if this little girl walked in and out of group homes and foster homes where that kind of thing could happen to her, there was no way I couldn’t become an actual foster parent who actually gave a damn about a child’s well-being.”_

_Gideon noticed how Jennifer’s eyes were glazed over with unshed tears. She turned to look at him._

_“I know you think that what I do is unnecessary and a lot but, Gideon—I’ll always feel like it isn’t nearly as much as you deserve. I’ve read your file. I know about your mom and Leo and Carla and everything that came after. And I promise you that I will do everything in my power to prevent any of that from happening ever again. You’re my kid now, Gideon. And this—” this gestured towards the phone,_

_“is for you to keep. And I’m not taking it back. I need to know where you are and what you’re doing. You’re starting at a new school and I’d understand if it gets overwhelming. Just give me a call and I’ll come pick you up. You’ll have Jude there and I’m sure you’ll make friends.”_

_She bumped his shoulder with hers. Before he could thank her, Jude came outside with a sleepy Laura in his arms, clinging to him like a monkey. Gideon couldn’t help but smile at the sight. Jude still had his grey hoodie on, creases from the sheets imprinted on his face, Laura’s dark-blonde hair half in his face._

_“Hey. She was asking for you when she woke up but didn’t really feel like getting up yet.” Gideon smiled at her antics. He caught Jennifer’s expression before he got up, it was a subtle smile, like she knew something he didn’t. He brushed it off, getting up to grab Laura. She clung to him just as tightly as she had Jude. Jennifer took the day off in favor of spoiling Laura to no end. They all had breakfast together and went out to buy as much junk food as Laura’s little heart desired to go back home and watch movies all day. Laura’s foster parents picked Laura up just as the sun was beginning to go down. They were nice people from what Laura told him. She had her own room, her own bed, and the family had a fat cat that Laura cuddled every night. She was happy and still, Gideon didn’t know what to make of her happiness._

_She spoke so fondly of Tom and Kate. Kate made the best waffles and Tom helped Laura finish a puzzle they gifted her. She was happy and so was Gideon, but he couldn’t help but think of what was to come next. Tom and Kate would probably adopt Laura. But Gideon? As much as he loved living with Jude and Jennifer, he couldn’t imagine being_ adopted _. It wasn’t what he wanted and somehow, Jennifer already knew he didn’t want that either. Call it mother’s intuition, but she always seemed to know more than she let on._

_Gideon had no idea what would happen next but right now, he was happy just laying next to Jude, committing his sleeping face to memory while Like Mike served as white noise in the background._

As much as he hated to admit it, he was nervous. It wasn’t because it was his first day or because he was afraid no one would like him enough to talk to him. He couldn't care less what people thought about him. He was afraid that he’d fail Jennifer. School was never his strong suit, he was quite miserable at it. He always skipped class, never did the work the days he _did_ go to school because he didn’t understand. For the first time, he feels he needs to meet expectations. Well, he’s always met expectations, even without trying. He was told by teachers that he’d fail, maybe even drop out before he was sixteen. That expectation was met. He was told by multiple foster parents that he wouldn’t make it out of the system—that he’d never get adopted because no one would want him. He was making that one too.

But this expectation— doing _good_ at school? This one was different and he felt the need to meet this one. He _had_ to. 

Jennifer dropped both him and Jude off and school, smiling reassuringly.

“You’ll be fine, but if you really feel like you can’t today, just call. You have your schedule?”

He nodded as he got out of the car, readjusting the straps on his book bag.

“I packed your lunch because I didn’t know whether you’d like what they had here or not. I just played it safe with a ham and cheese sandwich, an apple and some chips. Oh god, you might get hungry in between,” she started mumbling under her breath and dumped the entire contents of her purse, “they have vending machines. Why didn’t I think about this before?” Gideon was well aware of the fact that she was probably just as nervous as him because this was his first day. He turned to look at Jude and Jude was smiling down at his mother.

“Mom, I have change. Don’t worry about it.”

As if on cue, cars that were lined up behind them starting honking. Jennifer looked at Gideon, her hair was in a messy bun, her nurse’s uniform was a bit wrinkled, sporting a coffee stain, but her smile was still there. 

“Call me if you need anything, alright? Jude usually walks home, so maybe walk home together? Or call. I can pick you up if—”

“I’ll be fine. I’ll walk home with Jude. You should maybe go before a mob forms,” he gestured toward the long line of cars behind them. She laughed as both boys stepped back from the car. She waved one last time before speeding off with a long line of angry parents right behind her. 

Jude tugged at his shirt, bringing him back from where his mind had wandered off to,

“Come on. I’ll show you where your classes are supposed to be. The school’s pretty big, but most of your classes are next to each other.” 

Gideon followed Jude around like a lost puppy while Jude rambled on about how lucky he was with his classes being so close to each other. As they were walking down a hall in the sophomore building, a whirlwind a blond hair and blue eyes appeared right in front of Gideon. She had a bright smile on her lips as her eyes swept over his body. She extended her hand,

“You must be Gideon. I’m Clair, I’m a sophomore representative and I was asked to show you around.” 

Gideon took her hand in his, flashing her a smile. She was pretty, blond-wavy hair, jean-jacket over a cheerleader sweatshirt, a scarf bunched up around her neck, her cheeks slightly flushed. She was totally the type of girl he would go after if his interest wasn’t invested in a boy with innocent, soft eyes, a delicate smile and short brown hair that framed his face beautifully. Speaking of..

Clair dropped his hand and turned her attention to Jude, her smile faltering slightly. As naive as Jude was, he knew what this was. Jude couldn’t help but feel so out of place just standing next to both blondes. He smiled tightly,

“I—uh, I should get to class anyway,” he turned to Gideon, “I’ll see you later.” He looked like he wanted to reach over to touch Gideon. To hug him or give him an awkward pat but decided against it when Clair started asking Gideon questions about his previous school. Gideon was on the verge of asking Jude if he was sure, but the younger boy had practically run off, his shoulders sagging, a brown curl dangling in his face. 

Gideon shook off the feeling whirling around in his chest. Clair tugged him along, showing just about everything Jude had already shown him. His mind always seemed to wander back to Jude. He knew Jude had gotten the wrong idea. Jude probably thought that Gideon was over the moon being with Clair right now, but he wasn’t. He would much rather be by Jude, listening to him ramble on about anything and everything. Clair was nice and pretty and interesting in ways Gideon would have been loved before, but not now. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he was only interested in hazel eyes and smiles that brought out a pair of dimples. He only had eyes for one boy and that boy was so damn oblivious it was more irritating than cute. 

Before he knew it, Clair was waving goodbye, telling him he’d see him later as she gave his hand a squeeze. He took a seat near the back of his first class. It was geometry, he was good at geometry. He was good with numbers, that much he knew. His next few classes went by smoothly. He could feel the lingering looks, the hushed whispers, given, most of them were from girls. It was his lunch period when he willed himself to text Jude and ask where he was. He was more than thankful that they had the same lunch. He had to think of a way to subtly hint that he had no interest in Clair. Or maybe he’d just have to outright say it, God, this boy was too oblivious, it was probably the only way he could get his point across. Jude texted him back almost instantly, telling him he was on his way to the cafeteria. 

Gideon stood outside of the cafeteria awkwardly, watching as more people made their way inside. He could finally see Jude in the distance, a smile on the boy’s lips. He was just about to tease him for carrying a textbook and being a total nerd when Clair took up his entire line of vision. 

“I sort of remembered that we have the same lunch and since you don’t know anyone, I came to invite you to eat with me and my friends.”

He smiled at her, trying to find a way to _politely_ tell her that _yes,_ he actually did know _someone_ and that _no,_ he _wouldn’t_ be sitting with her and her friends. She moved slightly and Gideon could see Jude’s retreating figure and _nope_.

“Can I—I’ll be back. I have to go—yeah.” He stumbled over his words as he rushed after Jude. When he finally caught up to him, the boy didn’t even notice Gideon following him. 

“Jude, hey.”

The green-eyed boy turned around, obviously surprised. The boy stopped in his tracks, they were now in an empty hallway, standing probably a little too close to one another.

“Gideon. I thought you were going to lunch with _Clair_.” Gideon didn’t miss the hurt look on the younger boy’s face. 

“Jude, I was going to have lunch with _you._ Clair, she’s nice and not _subtle,_ like at all.”

Jude rolled his eyes like was the most obvious thing in the world and for some reason, Gideon found Jude’s jealousy quite endearing. He stepped closer to Jude, trying to get the younger boy to look at him instead of at the floor.

“She’s nice but I wouldn’t be more than friends with her.”

Jude finally looks up and his eyes glimmer in a way that Gideon takes pride in. _He’s so beautiful._

“No?”

Gideon shakes his head.

“No.” 

The younger boy smiled at him shyly, a beautiful blush tinting his cheekbones. Jude moved forward slightly, a look on his face that Gideon couldn’t read. Before he could even attempt deciphering it, Jude moved back, 

“We can eat in the library if you want. It’s quieter and you might be able to check out a couple of textbooks you need for your classes.” Gideon chuckled at Jude’s excitement over _textbooks._

They ate their lunch in the library and Gideon ended up checking out a textbook or two (mainly because Jude’s smile lit up his entire face and his dimples were something Gideon couldn’t resist, _ever.)_ They both only have one more class left before they’re released. Jude heads to algebra as Gideon goes to gym. A game of basketball is going on when he walks into the gym. He’s so distracted by the game, he doesn’t register the ball almost knocking him in the face when a player attempt at a shot gets blocked. 

“Hey, sorry about that. David always goes a little overboard even when we’re _clearly playing for fun right now._ ” The guy raises his voice on the last part, earning a groan from, who Gideon suspects, is David. Gideon hands him the ball. 

“You’re new, right? You can join in if you want,” he crouched down, whispering, “Maybe join my team. David’s team sucks anyway. I’m Derrick.” For whatever reason, Gideon liked Derrick. He nodded and got up to meet the rest of the guys. They all introduced themselves and told him that no offense, but they were gonna beat his ass. He chuckled and told them they’d see about that. 

_No one would know it by just looking at him, but Gideon’s passion was basketball. He vaguely remembers a time when he was six years old, running off to the neighborhood basketball court every day to watch the older boys throw the ball around. He was quick to learn how the point system worked. Soon after learning how the game was played, Gideon would sneak out of whichever foster home he had been placed in to go back to that basketball court. Basketball was absolutely everything to him. (That was until little Laura.)_

Gideon made every possible shot and did his best to block the other team from making theirs. Even if it was a game for fun, he set his mind to play with every damn bone in his body. His game didn’t only impress the guys he was playing with, but he seemed to catch the coach’s eye as well. 

When their make-shift game was over and David came up to Gideon, telling him he _wasn’t half bad_ , the coach called him over. 

“What’s your name, son?”

Gideon gave the man a once-over, clearly skeptical,

“Gideon.”

The older man huffed a breath,

“Well, _Gideon,_ you clearly know your way around a basketball court. I won’t mess ya around. I’ll get straight to it. Our team hasn’t been doing all that great this season. I think that with your skill, it might do quite great. So—would you by any chance be interested in joining the team?”

Gideon stood there, letting shock take over for a moment before chuckling. A _team._ An actual team to play basketball with. It wasn’t even a question to begin with. Of course, he was interested in joining the team. 

“Don’t I have to _tryout?”_

The coach chuckled, 

“Son, the game I just witnessed was tryout enough. If you play like that for _fun,_ I can’t even imagine how you’d play for a chance at state. We have practice tomorrow after school. We’ll get your measurements for your uniform. Talk to Derrick, he’ll get you up to date with our team.”

Gideon felt like he was floating. He was high on praise and it was quite the feeling. Derrick came up from behind him when the coach left. 

“So you’re on the team?”

Gideon looked at the other boy, eyebrows raised,

“Did you plan that? You had me play with you guys while coach was watching on purpose?”

Derrick shrugged, a lingering smirk on his lips,

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“How’d you know I played ball?”

Another shrug,

“Just a hunch. Practice after school tomorrow, don’t be late. Oh, and as _pretty_ as you look in what you’ve got on, you might want to bring a pair of shorts and a loose tee. See you tomorrow, G.”

Before Gideon could come up with some smart ass remark, the bell rung, dismissing them from school. He grabbed his bag, pulling his hoodie over his head again, practically sprinting to go find Jude. The younger boy was sitting on the railing just outside of the school, a burgundy hoodie thrown on, no textbooks in sight. Gideon smiled, walking up to the boy,

“Hey.”

Jude looked up, as smiley as always,

“Hey, yourself. How was gym?”

Jude jumped off the railing, adjusting the straps of his book bag as they began walking off campus, heading home.

“It was good. Great, actually. I’m on the basketball team.” It filled him with pride saying it out loud. Like an accomplishment. Like he’d won a prize, though no prize compared to the wide smile Jude gave him.

“You’re on the basketball team! Gideon, that’s great. Your first day and you’re already making a name for yourself. I’ve never seen you play, but I’m sure you’re great.”

The older boy chuckled,

“Jude, you don’t watch sports at all. How would you know if I’m any good or not.” He said, teasing the younger boy.

Jude scoffed,

“I _do_ watch sports, thank you very much. You’re good at a lot of things, so I wouldn’t be a surprised if basketball is one of those things too.”

Gideon raised an eyebrow, challenging,

“Yeah? What other things am I good at?”

Jude flushed slightly, clearly not expecting the question,

“Well, you’re good at running down the street after Uke when he gets away from me. You’re good at reaching the cereal that’s at the very top of the cabinets. You’re also good at picking movies. You’re—”

“Oh god, Jude, stop. You consider those things I’m good at? It doesn’t take much to impress you then, does it.”

Jude snorted. 

“Guess not.” 

They walked for another five minutes, finally arriving home, Uke greeting them excitedly at the door. They both heated up leftover pizza from the night before and went up to Jude’s room. Gideon had planned on watching the latest Fast and Furious movie when Jude told him that it might be best to get a head start on homework he most definitely wasn’t going to do later. And because Jude is the voice of reason, Gideon took out his textbooks and started doing his assigned pages. After they both had their homework done, Jude even getting a head start on the next day’s work and taking Uke out for a much needed bathroom break, they finally settled in Jude’s bed after changing into sweats. 

Dominic Toretto was on the run again when Gideon felt a pair of eyes on him. He turned his head to the side, blue eyes meeting hazel ones. 

Jude shuffled closer to the other boy,

“Do—do you like girls?”

In turn, Gideon shuffled closer too,

“Yeah, I do.”

Jude looked uncertain then. Small in a way that made Gideon’s heart clench in his chest. He brought his hand up under Jude’s chin, making him look up at him. In the end, it was Jude how closed the distance between them. It was just a touch of lips at first. But then Jude brought his hand up to cup the side of Gideon’s face and it became more. Their lips started moving against each other and a small noise escaped from Jude’s mouth. So they laid there, kissing until they ran out of breath. When they finally did pull back, smiles took over both of their faces and it happened again. 

They kissed and they kissed until their lips were numb from  kissing. Kisses mixed with a hint of tongue and a lot of touching. Hands roaming each other’s faces, necks, and backs. 

And like it always has, Jude’s bed became witness to something new. It became and would continue to become witness to a series of firsts. But right now, it was witness to a first kiss, a first clear moment.

A first love. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping to update soon but won't promise anything. 
> 
> Drop a couple of comments down below because I love hearing what you guys have to say about this fic! Maybe give me a couple of suggestions of what you'd like to read because I could use a couple of ideas to mix in with mine!
> 
> A Little side note here: I don't know shit about basketball, like wow. I was honestly considering making Gideon play football because I'm a huge football fan omg. As you can see, I ultimately decided to leave basketball in the story because it's obviously a huge part of Gideon and I didn't want to take that away from him. So, I'm keeping basketball terms and stuff to a minimum because idk what anything is lol.

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what ya think!  
> Also, if you have a chance, check out my other fics and give me your thoughts on those because I'm honestly in a major writer's block lol fml.


End file.
